An easy guide to journaling…

1 Aug

In this post we’re looking at not only the science behind journaling, but how the practice itself can affect your life positively. Towards the end of the post we’ve included a really simple guide to journaling as a newbie! Not interested in the science…just head to the bottom and read our tips.

Firstly, if you’ve not begun journaling yet, why not?

There are so many positive effects of the simple practice of writing on a regular basis that it’s hard to think of a reason why you shouldn’t be doing it.

Often times with journaling, just like with meditation, the thought of doing it is actually more difficult than the actual practice. We are a result driven nation who are also guilty of looking for the ‘quick fix’ so allowing something to have a positive effect on our lives slowly, over time, is a difficult concept to grasp.

In addition, with practices such as this we tend to create judgement around the ‘how’; how we should do it, how it should feel. Without realising that the first step is just taking action. A short amount of action each day can have a huge positive impact.

Still not sure about doing it?

Here are some of the key outcomes of developing a journaling practice…

A pilot study published only last month showed that journaling had a significant impact on burnout and fatigue (Copeland, 2021)

Gratitude journaling has a positive effect on our heart rate and parasympathetic nervous system (the rest/digest part that many of us lack) (Redwine et al., 2016)

Significantly improves optimism and positive thinking; increased psychological well being (Kim-Godwin et al., 2020)

In addition to the science (and there are loads more where they came from) cultivating a daily journaling practice, particularly on with a focus on gratitude, can lead to improved mood, better sleep and overall positivity and energy.

Here is our guide to starting a journaling practice that REALLY WORKS!

Aim for 3 times a week initially and increase if it’s possible.

Introducing the 3 G’s

Gift – Growth – Gratitude

GIFT

Under the heading gift you have a few options. This could be an actual physical gift you’ve received (or even given) that has left you feeling a certain way. Maybe your friend sent a bunch of flowers, maybe you bought your partner their favourite ice cream, maybe you treated your kids. Write about how that made you feel, how the person involved makes you feel.

Another way to approach the gift is something you’ve gifted yourself – did you give yourself the gift of time this morning? Did you gift yourself an hour of self care (a bath, a glass of wine and a book, a yoga class)? If you’re really stuck know that you’re gifting yourself time right now to journal!

A slightly different version of the ‘gift’ is one that is attached to your next prompt – GROWTH – any opportunity for growth is a gift given to you by somebody else. For example, did your colleague lose their sh*t with you today? How did you handle it? If you reacted calmly and rationally and dealt with the problem at hand you experienced a moment of ‘growth’ so without realising it, that colleague gifted you a lesson today!

As you become more fluent with your journaling, you’ll start to recognise these opportunities that present themselves as gifts throughout your entire day.

GROWTH

How did you grow today? Again the great news is that every time you pick up that notepad and pen you are growing, lean in the growth my friend, you’ve got this!

There are many ways we grow each day and each week. And we all have differing perceptions of growth depending on our own experiences but one that I find useful is, I always tell myself I work best under pressure so when I get a task ticked off that isn’t due for weeks I give myself a huge pat on the back, that for me is growth!

Maybe growth is reading a non-fiction book about a current affair that you’d like to be better informed on. I know when the #blacklivesmatter movement took centre stage back in the summer we all put new books on our reading lists to improve our understanding. Have you read these books? Did you take a step to learn more?

However growth looks for you note it down!

GRATITUDE

Maybe the most important prompt of all…what are you grateful for? What lights you up and puts a smile on your face?

Maybe at the moment it’s a FaceTime call with the grandkids, maybe you can get outside for a walk each day and take deep breaths, maybe it’s the fact that you dog is always there for a cuddle. Start by writing a list of all the things you’re grateful for.

Again with more practice this list will become easier but you may also notice it reaching a deeper level. You’ll start to develop gratitude for yourself, for your body, for your health and many other things that go far beyond simply having a roof over your head.